Boat stabilizers



Aug. 7, 1956l D. G. WILTSE BOAT STABILIZERS Filed Nov. e, 195:5

JNVENToR ATMRNY United States Patent O BoAr STABILIZERS Douglas G.Wiltse, St. Charles, Mich., assignor to Harwill Inc., St. Charles,Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application November 6, 1953, SerialNo. 390,510

2 Claims. (Cl. 114-125) This invention relates generally to means foreffecting greater stability in surface water-crafts. More particularlyit relates to a type of stabilizers which are primarily adapted for thepurpose of maintaining watercraft on an even keel while it is movingslowly or lying dead in the water.

While the generic inventive concept disclosed in the present applicationis susceptible of other uses, the speciic embodiment of the inventionillustrated and described herein is primarily adapted for use inconnection with light boats; viz, aluminum, magnesium, plastic, wooden,etc. for the purpose of increasing the inert-ia of the boat and therebyimproving its stability.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide apparatus ofthis general class which will be relatively simple in construction andwhich will effectively serve to reduce or obviate the unsteady tendency`of light boats, as for example when a passenger should move or shifthis position while thel boat is underway at slow speeds or stopped.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide aconstruction of this general type wh-ich is convenient and compact inform and which may easily and conveniently be installed, in order thatit may be used with any one of a number of dierent types of light boats.The present invention contemplates the provision of means whereby thestabilizers may be mounted on the underside of a boat whereby to serveas auxiliary keels or linear stiffeners. As well, the present inventionalso contemplates the provision of means whereby the stabilizers may beeffectively used in a manner approximating water-skis, and particularlywhereby the under surface of the stabilizers act as a planing surface toproduce a smoother and faster ride through the water.

Still further, the present invention contemplates the provision of arelatively novel and simple construction which may be convenientlyremoved from the boat for purposes of adjustment and repair and which inits completed form will be extremely compact and convenient inoperation.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, a light boat has manyadvantages but one outstanding disadvantage-its lack of stability. Thepurpose of my apl paratus is to enable the boat to make use of a limitedamount of water whereby weight of the latter can act as a ballast orcounter-balance force. As discussed above, when a passenger shifts hisposition while a light boat is underway at slow speeds or stopped theboat is prone to tip. By harnessing the weight of water in partiallyopened tanks this tendency is largely overcome since the weight of theballast on one side of the boat acts as a 2 counter-balance for a likeshift side of the boat.

Therefore, another object of the present invention is the provision ofmeans whereby' a light boat may have all of the advantages of stability,etc. of a heavier boat and yet none of its disadvantages, as forexample: slow acceleration and speed while underway. My inventionprovides for rapid drainage of water from the stabilizers at fasterspeeds and instantaneous filling of water at slower speeds and when theboat lies dead in the water.

Many other and further objects and advantages of the present inventionwill become apparent from the following specification when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a view in perspective showing the underside of a boat with astabilizer mounted on both sides thereof;

Figure 2 is an enlarged rear elevation view of a boat showingstabilizers mounted thereon, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional View taken on the line 3 3of Figure l.

With more particular reference to the drawings, the specific embodimentof the invention disclosed therein comprises in general a casing that isgenerally denoted by the numeral 10, which is preferably of elongatedrectangular form and permanently cl-osed at the forward end 11 by meansof rounding and sealing of the sides 12 and the bottom 13 by anyconventional means. While the casings as a whole may be temporarilyattached to the underside 14 by any convenient means, it is preferableto rivet or weld the flanges 15 and thereby serve to accomplish apermanent mounting for the casings. The casings are partially closed atthe rearward end 16 by means of suitable cover plates 17 which may beincreased or decreased in width according to the desire of the user. Itis believed that the stabilizers reach the highest peak of eiiciencywhen the cover plate encloses substantially three-quarters of theopening at the rearward end.

The operation of the stabilizers is substantially as follows: When theboat is placed in water and equipped with oars or m-otor power, waterimmediately enters the casings and acts as ballast. The same follows asthe boat moves at slow speeds since the cover plates tend tosubstantially restrain the water from draining out. lt is during thisperiod-from lack of forward boat movement to slow speeds-that the waterin the casings serves to increase inertia and stability; whereas, onachieving a faster speed all the water in the casings immediately drainsout and thereby allows for the increase in speed of light boats. At thistime the forward momentum serves to maintain the boat on an even keel.Likewise, upon the boats speed decreasing the water reenters the casingsand the boat again becomes substantially stable.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the specific embodimentof the invention illustrated in the drawings and described above ismerely representative of one of many forms which the inventive conceptdefined in the subjoined claims may take. Many other and furthermodications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a boat stabilizer adapted for engagement with the underside of aboat, an elongated substantially rectangular casing, a closure in theforward end of said casing,

of weight to the opposite a partial closure in the rearward end of saidcasing for temporarily confining water in said casing when said casingis fastened to the underside of said boat.

2. A boat stabilizer adapted for engagement with the underside of a boatcomprising a casing having an outwardly flaring flange integral with andtransversely disposed with respect to said casing for attaching to theunderside of said boat, said casing being sealed at its forward end, acover plate substantially covering the rearward end of said casing andadapted to temporarily con fine water in said casing when said casing isfastened to the underside of said boat.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS ForseFeb. 1, Hall Dec. 7, Parker May 2, Brush Nov. 25. Harkins uly 13,

FOREIGN PATENTS Denmark Aug. 11, Great Britain Apr. 3, France Dec. 18,

